Book rest



Mar. 13. 1923. 7 1,448,118

- I B. H. HOFFMAN BOOK REST Filed Oct. 3, 1921 A, avwewtoz Patented Mar. 13, 1923,

" uurro STATES BOOK ans/r.

Application filed octo bcr 8, 1921. Serial No. 504,931.

' To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, BIRDIE I-I. HOFFMAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Huntington, in the county of Cabell and State of West Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Book Rests; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same. I

This invention relates to an improved book rest, which is especially, but not necessarily designed for use in connection with adding machines.

Machines the above class, are, in practically all instances, equipped with shelves which serve to support books for use by the operator of the machine.

to accommodate large sizes of books such as must necessarily be used at times, and it is in view'of such circumstances that I have devised a supplemental book rest which is designed to be attached to the book shelf of the adding machine in such a. way that it will accommodate reasonably large size books. p

It is one object of the invention to provide a book rest whichis such in construction that it will hold the book in a convenient.

position to enable the figures to be easily and readily copied therefrom.

Another object of the invention is to pro- I the board or rest to interfere with proper positioning of the book.

A further object of the invention is to provide a book rest of this class which is in the form of a board, properly shaped and sized to accommodate different sizes of books, together with novel attaching means which permits the board to be placed obliquely across the book shelf on the adding machine near the outer end of the shelf, or permits it to be positioned at right angles with respect to said shelf as desired.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a book rest of this class wherein the novel attaching means referred to is vention will be apparent dur ng the The machines of' this class with which I am familiar are so" constructed that the shelf is usually too small in shape.

preferably in the form of cleats secured to the underfa ce of the board, these cleats be-' ing arranged in the aforesaid relation and serving not only to decidedly reinforce'the board, but one ofthem constituting ameans whereby the latter may be suspended from the upper edge of the shelf on the machine when the latter is swung down and out of use. 1

Other objects and advantages of the incourse of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification and in which'like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same.

' Figure 1 is a perspective'view of a portion of a conventional type of adding machine showing my improvedbook' rest supported on the book shelf of the same;

Figure 2 is a bottom plan view of theim5 proved book rest. y

Figure 3 is an edge elevational View thereof.

Figure 4 is an end elevation looking toward the right-hand end of the board.

In the drawings, the letter A designates generally, an adding machine of conventional construction which embodies the usual horizontal 'hingedly mounted book-supporting shelf B which forms a part of the stand (3. As before pointed out, this shelf B is usually too small to accomodate large sizes of books such are frequently used for copying purposes. The special supplemen tal book rest which I employ comprises a board 1 which is shown asbeing rectangular This particular shape, however, is-not at all necessary, becauseit can be of any other shape and size to accommodate the particular kind of a book to be supported thereon. The improved supplemental book rest embodies means for permitting quick attachment and detachment to or from the shelf B. While this means may be constructed otherwise, it is preferably in the form of a pair of cleats 2 and 3 which are screwed or otherwise permanently fastened to the underface ofthe board adjacent the opposite ends thereof. In both instances, the inner edges of the cleats are formed with grooves 4 which are made sufliciently large to receive one of the edges of the book shelf therein. In other words, these grooves are slightly larger than the thickness of the shelf to permit the latter to be forced therein 3 mans its.

manna HAZEL HOFFMAN, OFVHUVNTINGTON, W ST VIRGINIA.

for holdingthe hoard in. place., F1 01]; practice, it hasbeen discovered'that-it is desired to place the boa-rd in different positions with respect to the shelf to accommodate different 5 sizes of books and to dispose the-same in different positions to permit easy copying of,

the figures from the books. To permit-the result desired to be accompl shed I arrange the cleats so that the one bearing the number 2 is exposed .inparallelism with: respect to arrangement; it will beseen that by ,engag-, ing: thewcleat 3 with the rear longitudinal edge of the table or-shelf B, the board 1 can.

be arranged at various oblique positions with respect to the shelf,:thus.permitting zodifferent sizes; ofubooks to: 'beconveniently supported thereo-niand dispesing the boolnat a desirable angle Where the figures can beeasily-copied. 1 It may be stated here that snialt strips offelt or similar material 5 can be secured to thecleats "in theiposition ShOVIlg to I'DSiUIG; a more effective grip pfthe cleats;

on the bookshelf of the machine.

connected with the rear longitudinal edge of the shelf B c-the board can be, arranged at 5 slightly varying obliquerangles with respect.

to theulatterto-effectively accommodate dif-- fenent sizesaofrbooks and! to permit the book toube arrangedat! the desiredlangler The larger the booln the near'erqthe'free endiofi i0 the table the bookrest, is placed With the arrangement employed, it is possible to slide;

theisupplementalibook rest along the table, to obtain the desired position thereof. Should it bedesiredito disposezthe board at true-right angles withrespect totl e table,

this; can be I done by connecting v the cleat 2 pointed out,,that the cleat 2 is ted to be engaged ,with the upper; verticals ge of the shelf when the latter is swung down and out of use and this cleat is thereby given an additional function.

By carefully considering the description in connection with the drawings, persons familiar with, devices of this class Will doubtless be able to obtain a clear understanding of the invention. Therefore; a more lengthy and detailed, description is deemed unnecessary.

Since probably the best lresultsmay be obtained with the constructionand arrange ment herein shown anddescribed, thisis taken as the preferred embodiment of the invention Howevenl wish it tobeunderstood that minor ch anges. coming within the to if desired.

. I claim 1 In a book rest ofthe- ,classdescribed, a substantially: rectangular board haying reinforcing cleats secured to the underfacethere; K

toathe adj apent end .and the other ,cleat being disposed obliquely with respect to theopposite [end so thatwhen the last namecLcleat is t engaged with. the longitudinal edge of the shelf when the latter is in supportingposition, itwvill, extend ,ob-liquely across the upper side, thereof} for, disposing the rest at an angle with respectto the shelf to permit the book tobepositioned with respect to vthe operator to enable convenient and ready 1 copying therefrom In testimony whereof I-have hereunto set my hand.

with theutableiinstead of the remaining cleat; Itis; also. tov be, noted asbefore 13111112111 HAZEL HQEFMAN- scope of the subjoined. claim mayvbe resorted, 

